Re: [gardeners] gas guzzlers

George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 15 Mar 2003 08:12:49 -0600 

More likely 1973 Penny, time of the Arab oil embargo. It didn't hit us
in the oil producing states as bad as it did y'all. We didn't have huge
lines at gas stations and there was plenty to be had as we had 5 major
refineries in the part of Texas we lived in then. In addition there was
about 2 million gallons of regular gasoline (remember leaded gas?)in
tanks in our plant and lots of 5 gallon cans to put it in. <VBG>

I think the answer was that your car uses less gas idling than it does
starting and stopping. Something about that from an old Popular
Mechanics seems to be hanging back there in my fuzzy memory.

Today is the good old days for me, I love living in the present but
don't want to forget the past.

George

pennyx1@juno.com wrote:
> 
> George, we took delivery of our Chevy Suburban with 454 engine and a
> special rear axle ratio of perhaps 1.5 (for trailer hauling) on the day
> before America's gasoline supplies dried up completely -- was that
> 1963...?  The car did 6 mpg, so Chevrolet very kindly included a
> 30 gallon gas tank ...  we hadn't worried because gas cost about
> 35c a gallon then.
> 
> Jimmie immediately changed the engine to increase the mileage to
> 8 or 9 mpg. I think he removed the vacuum advance on the carburetor
> and installed a centrifical something or other -- but I'm a bit fuzzy on
> the details.
> 
> There was no gasoline to be had at the pumps. Spontaneously one or
> another gas station would open up for an hour or so, and would limit
> the cars in the instant line-up to 5 gallons or some such. My laundry
> man would keep his eye on the BP station across the street from his
> shop, and would telephone me to bunny it down when he  saw them
> opening up. I'm 1.1 miles away, and I would tear down to get in line.
> The biggest question then was am I better off idling, as each car ahead
> of me got its 5 gallons, or am I better off turning off the engine and
> then on again, as the line crept forward.  We never got a definitive
> answer and so I ended up idling.
> 
> Aah, the good old days ........
> 
> Penny, NY
> 
> .
> 
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